1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to avoiding aircraft collisions and, more particularly, is concerned with an aircraft external lighting apparatus, method and coding system for identifying different characteristics of aircraft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problem of avoiding collisions between two aircraft both mid-air and on the ground continues to grow as general, commercial and military aircraft flight traffic continues to increases. It is important for pilots and air traffic controllers to be able to see nearby aircraft so as to maintain aircraft separation and avoid collisions.
Various flashing lights have been proposed in the past to indicate the presence of nearby aircraft and the rate and direction of movement and altitude of the aircraft. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,120 to Madsen proposed an external lighting system which included electronic flash tubes disposed in longitudinally spaced and vertically aligned relationship along the top and bottom of the fuselage of an aircraft. The lights are sequentially fired in a rearward to forward direction to assist pilots of other aircraft in determining the approximate rate and direction of movement and positional altitude of the aircraft. U.S. Pat. No. 2,876,388 to Bader et al proposed an external visual warning light system which includes sequentially-operated visual high intensity flash tubes mounted only at the top and bottom of the fuselage of an aircraft. The purposes of the light system is the same as in the case of the Madsen patent.
Also, systems employing lights having different colors have been proposed in the past for purposes similar to those of the flashing lights, that is, to indicate the presence of nearby aircraft and the rate and direction of movement and altitude of the aircraft. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,480 to Adler, Jr. proposed an external light system on an aircraft used to indicate the flight level of the aircraft. Lights of different colors are used. They are extinguished and lit as the aircraft changes altitude from one flight level to another.
The approaches taken thus far in the prior art by the different proposed external light systems to avoid aircraft collisions probably represent steps in the right direction. However, these proposed external light systems fail to convey specific information about distinguishing characteristics of the aircraft itself, such as size and performance. Such information acquired on a timely basis by pilots and air traffic controllers would be invaluable in assessing the threat posed by nearby aircraft and in formulating a plan for maintaining aircraft separation and avoiding collisions.
Consequently, a need still exists for improvement of external lighting systems for aircraft identification purposes.